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The Other Me: Chapter Seven
WRITTEN: 20 December 2012 'PART TWO: LILLIAN' Chapter Seven: An Unforgivable Decision And so the day of the trial arrived and the tension in the castle was extreme. Dwellers, Aurorans and Bowerstone citizens alike all gathered in the throne room to await the fate of their friends and leaders. Reaver and an Albion soldier stood at the front of the room before the throne. Both of them were unnoticeably going over their arguments in their heads oblivious to what people around them were saying. If they had been paying attention, they would have been hearing the people singing praises for the soldier for defending those on trial and darkly muttering about Reaver’s frozen heart in helping to sentence the innocent to death. As usual, Lillian was running three hours late, not that it worried the people. They were all hoping that she would forget about the trial, allowing Logan and the others to live. They were all disappointed when she did appear looking very excited. ‘All stand for the Queen of Albion,’ Hobson ordered. Ever since Walter’s death, he was usually the one to run the important hearings’ agenda when Logan wasn’t present. The citizens of Albion grudgingly stood. They didn’t want to respect someone who didn’t respect them. Once Lillian was seated majestically on the throne, Hobson continued. ‘We are all gathered here today to witness the trials of five formerly respected citizens of Albion for crimes against Queen Lillian, daughter of King Sparrow and Queen Hannah. Bring in the accused.’ Lillian watched on gleefully as Logan, Page, Elliot, Sabine and Kalin were all marched inside. Kalin had been caught last night trying to help her friends escape. However, Lillian couldn’t help but admire them. All of them, except Logan who was leaning on Page and Elliot for support, had their heads held high even though they knew they would soon be sentenced to death. ‘Sabine, leader of the Dwellers, Kalin, leader of Aurora, Elliot, husband of Queen Lillian, Page, Leader of the Resistance, and Logan, Prince of Albion, you all stand accused today of crimes and treason against Queen Lillian,’ said Hobson. ‘What else is new?’ Logan muttered under his breath. This was the third time he had to stand in court where people argued over whether he should be executed or not. Maybe Albion would be happier if he was dead. ‘Reaver will defend while Craig, loyal soldier of Albion, will prosecute.’ This brought many gasps from the crowd. Reaver was doing something selfless for once. ‘You may speak,’ Lillian said with a loving smile at Craig. She had managed to get the fools utter loyalty just by sleeping with him. ‘Your majesty, is it wise to allow traitor’s to walk among us?’ Craig began. ‘As a soldier I have learnt that if you show even the faintest resemblance of mercy, your enemies will take advantage of it. Each of these traitors has committed crimes against the crown before. Sabine, Kalin and Page all turned on your brother when they didn’t agree with his ruling and now they seek to do it to you. Then there is Prince Logan himself. Was he not the one who murdered our beloved King Sparrow? Did he not commit crimes against the kingdom during his regain as King? And now he seeks to overthrow you. Hasn’t he had enough chances?’ ‘And what of Elliot?’ Reaver demanded. ‘He hasn’t committed any crimes against the crown, until now, and one could argue that even to this day he is still innocent. He is your husband who is concerned about his wife’s sudden change. Even Page, Kalin and Sabine are concerned about their friend, no matter what they say in their anger. There have been no signs of a Resistance reforming, only whispered rumours and the discussion of what might happen if you continue down this road. They cannot be charged for what they might do. They can only be sentenced for what they have done.’ They acted against the crown –’ Craig started to argue before he was cut off by Reaver. ‘Those crimes were against Prince Logan, not the Queen,’ he interrupted bluntly. ‘There is still the matter that Sabine informed the Queen, in court, that he was now her enemy.’ ‘Words said in anger should never be used as proof. He was merely upset with Lillian’s decision to log the trees in Mistpeak. No different to a child screaming, “I hate you,” at their parents after a fight.’ Craig opened his mouth to argue, but he found that he had nothing to argue with. Reaver had shot down all of his arguments for sentencing Page, Sabine, Kalin and Elliot. He soon realised, however, that Reaver hadn’t said anything about Logan. Smirking, he motioned for Logan to be forced to his knees in between himself and Reaver before Lillian. Not that Logan needed to be forced. He willingly collapsed to his knees. He was too weak. So far he had been held up Page and Elliot. ‘I notice that you hadn’t defended the Prince,’ Craig said, gesturing to Logan. ‘Do you agree that Logan should be sentenced to death?’ ‘No, I do not.’ Reaver turned to address Lillian. ‘I don’t know if you remember, your majesty, but your father, even your mother for that matter, always said that family was the most important thing in the world. They would not want you and Logan to be fighting like this.’ ‘I’m sure they would agree with me,’ Lillian replied coldly, not liking the fact that her godfather was acting out against her, ‘especially when Logan cares nothing for his family. He did kill our father, after all.’ ‘Logan’s name was cleared from that infraction as he was fulfilling Sparrow’s dying wish,’ Reaver argued. ‘He was also pardoned for his crimes when he was King as he was trying to protect his people from the Crawler. It is like that saying where one needs to be cruel to be kind. Besides, he hasn’t lifted a finger against you. You attacked him without cause.’ Lillian flinched as though Reaver had just hit her. He had turned against her. ‘Yes, well, it is for her majesty to decide the fate of her brother,’ Hobson said awkwardly. ‘I sentence him and Page to death,’ Lillian announced coldly. ‘The others are to be banished from Albion.’ She would see Logan and Page killed before the day was out. ‘Lillian, you can’t!’ Reaver surprisingly snapped. ‘It’s alright, Uncle Reaver,’ Logan said quietly. He had already accepted his fate as had Page. ‘You heard my brother.’ Lillian was smiling like a Cheshire Cat. ‘Craig, be a dear and take Logan and Page away to be executed immediately.’ ‘Of course, my Queen.’ Craig gave Lillian a small bow and made to grab Logan. He didn’t though, for at that very moment, the throne rooms doors burst open. Lillian turned her eyes angrily towards the two intruders before gasping. Standing there was none other than the Logan from her time. She noticed that he was looking grim and had a few nasty cuts on his face with blood on his ripped attire. He was glaring at her. Now while it surprised her to see him here, she was even more shocked when she recognised the younger woman next to him. It was her. Well, the Lily of this time. She knew that there were differences between the two of them, but she never realised how many differences there was. Lily actually looked like Lillian’s Logan’s sister more than she did. She then turned her eyes back to her Logan as he said he name. ‘Lillian.’